BRITONS are borrowing on average twice as much money as their European neighbours - and people in Nuneaton and Bedworth are no different.

A report by a business research firm shows the average personal debt in Britain is £3,175, compared with borrowing on the continent of just £1,558.

The area's Citizens' Advice Bureau is helping manage more than £3 million of personal debt in the borough alone.

It is currently helping people with £202,000 of priority debts like mortgages and council tax, and £2,711,000 of non-priority debts on credit cards, store cards and personal loans - an average of £13,000 for every person staff are helping.

Nigel Ashfield, debt counsellor at the bureau, said the office was extremely busy - "We're very busy and the worry is that the Bank of England is fairly likely to put interest rates up again and it could tip many more people over the edge and obviously that's going to create more work."

The bureau has recently gained funding for three more support officers, Mr Ashfield added: "We are more than happy for people to come and see us."